Advent of Wizard
by bigo4190
Summary: The times of isolation are over. No longer do the two separate hidden communities remain unknowing of the other. One individual, barely a man at the start, shall become the first to bridge the connection between them. But will he remain the only one?
1. Chapter 1

**Shutsugen no Mahoutsukai **

_**By: bigo4190**_

_Disclaimer: I don't own either __Harry Potter__ or __Naruto__; those belong to J.K. Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto respectively. What I chose to do with those characters is my only contribution, save for a few easily spotted other characters._

"Blah" – Regular Speech

'_Blah_' – Thoughts

Blah – Flashback, thoughts and speech are represented as above, with the underline added.

"**Blah**" - Jutsu

A.N. - I do plan to use some Japanese Romaji, if it's not quite right, deal with it. Translations will be offered at the bottom of each chapter, in the order that they appear in the text. This first appearance of any word will be the one marked, and if a word occurs frequently between chapters, it will eventually stop appearing in the notes, as you should have some clue what they are by that point.

Also note that this story, since it is more if a prequel than anything else, does not feature many of the usual characters from either story, though they show up towards the end.

Chapter 1

The Elemental Countries, or as some call them, the Hidden Countries, have never been the easiest, or the safest place to live, but never had such a situation existed as did the tale of one warrior, just at the cusp of his rise into the rank of Chunin. The tale of Uzumaki Sentsu is a long one, full of twists, and leading to unimagined consequences for those yet to come, high among them the far distant relative from a branch of the family tree so long ago removed the connection was unknown until far later. But…enough of the future events, this story begins one fateful night towards the end of the First Great Shinobi War. Our scene, the clan compounds of the Uzumaki near the walls of Kumogakure no Sato…

"Okaa-san, Otou-san, I have wonderful news." The young man, aged 16, is returning to his home to tell his family of his promotion to Chunin. But upon entering his home he realizes that something is terribly wrong, and suddenly the unusual silence of the grounds near the compounds had a much more sinister feel. "No. Nothing can have happened, these are the safest homes in Kumo; I'm probably just overreacting." Thus calming himself, the boy begins to search his home more thoroughly, until he finds the proof of that nagging fear. "Okaa-san!"

Yes it was no longer a day of happiness, for though he now held the rank of Chunin, Sentsu had become the last of his powerful clan; now the power of the direct manipulation of metals lay solely in his hands. Numbly, Sentsu turned from his mother lifeless body, knowing that he would need the help of several other ninja to find and bury the bodies of his clan; the Raikage must know that their enemies had found a way to destroy the clan.

The next few months were always a blur for Sentsu, even years later, he could never fully remember what he had done those few month, so lost in his grief. But eventually he found himself accompanying the Raikage's greatest diplomat to Konohagakure no Sato, where they would attempt to get them to finally enter the war, as Kiri and Suna had been pushing them to the brink of defeat, as the aid of Kusa was not enough to offset those powers.

After the preliminary part of the meeting, Sentsu found himself wandering the town, the details of the conversation now occurring beyond his ranks clearance; though he had been sent along, it was not as a full participant, but as a limited apprentice, and he could only be witness to so much, as the Hokage needed to provide his permission for the younger boy to stay, and that he was unwilling to do. As he wandered, he found his mind settling back on his conversation with the Raikage before his departure.

"Listen well, Sentsu. Though you are only a Chunin of a few months, I have found great promise in you. Your mastery of both Raiton and your clan HiJutsu has always been above average, and has accelerated these last few months since the…incident. I have a new mission for you. Should your superior report you to have performed up to our expectations, you will receive your Jonin promotion upon you return. Dismissed."

Sentsu still could hardly believe the thought. Here he was, brought along on a straightforward mission he would have little hand in completing, but he could receive Jonin status for it. Something did **not**__up in his mind. The thought had barely passed his mind when he passed by small vendor, a dango seller, where he overheard words between the other two Jonin who had been sent on the mission; they also had been dismissed from the meeting it would appear, again, they most likely did not meet the Hokage's expectations for diplomats; Sentsu himself had always found them rather distasteful as well.

"Can you believe that Chunin gaki, he's still so naïve and blind. How could he think an enemy ninja was the one to do that to his clan? If they could do that to a clan in our walls, they would have tried again by now. Poor kid doesn't realize it was the Raikage's orders, just so he could keep the kid in line; especially since the clan started getting a little uptight over some of Raikage-sama's plans—"

"Shush, do you want to let these villagers know about our secrets. Just shut up already. Of course, if you're right about the kid being hooked like the plan says, he should react just fine to the rest of the plan. Poor Hyuga won't know what hit 'em."

Sentsu backed away quickly; glad he hadn't been seen by his…teammates, though, after what they had said, perhaps it was time to look into the perks of being a nuke-nin. '_I wonder what they have planned for the Hyuga; I'm glad I found their compound earlier. They may be 3 Jonin, but they won't expect me to turn on them. Perhaps with the surprise I can stop them… at least long enough for a Hyuga or two to reach the scene._'

Under the shroud of night, after being told that they had a meeting to attend, the diplomat and older of the Jonin slipped off into the blackness, leaving the younger Jonin in charge of Sentsu. The Jonin made a great show of being uninterested, but it was easy for Sentsu to tell the Jonin greatly anticipated whatever the other would return with. So, when the Jonin turned his back on Sentsu, the time to strike had come. Focusing his Ki, Sentsu initiated the **Kanashibari no Jutsu**, and before the surprised Jonin could free himself from the technique, he found a kunai buried deep in his heart. "One down, only two left. Of all the arrogant moves, to think I was that docile; hn, goes to show, just being a Jonin doesn't mean you're all that bright."

Slipping off out the window, Sentsu sped towards the Hyuga clan compound, and as he approached the district, spied the second of the lower Jonin waiting for the leader. The Jonin had barely looked up at the sound of the quickly approaching body (Jonin are still better than Chunin, even distracted, so of course he could still hear the speedy, if stealthy approach), and just as the shock of the "naïve fool" as he had called him settled in, he was dead, the odd angles of his hairs pointing to the strength of the Raiton Jutsu used to kill him. "Two down, just the leader left. Of course, he'll most likely have a prisoner."

Settling down just down the path the leader would most likely take from the Hyuga compound, Sentsu waited. He knew that if he should cause any sort of disturbance here, the most astute of the Hyuga guard would be able to spot it. 10 minutes later, the final Kumo Jonin approached, with a bound child in his possession. '_Just as I feared; but wait, is that…no he wouldn't dare be that suicidal…but I've been proved wrong about my former allies before. So, he kidnapped Hyuga Senbi, the heir to the Hyuga Clan._' With these thought, Sentsu stepped out into the Jonin's path.

"Sentsu, what are you doing here, you should be back at the—" Here the Jonin noticed the bits of blood from Sentsu's earlier kills. "So, you've decided to betray us have you, the Raikage will be most displeased."

"I don't exactly view this as betrayal, Hito, after all, it was on Raikage's orders my family was slaughtered. Oh, don't look so shocked…you're subordinates had loose tongues; they're just lucky I'm the only one who overheard them in that Dango bar. At least I made their deaths swift. No, it's time for you to join them." Sentsu slipped into a fighting stance and drew a kunai.

"Don't think you stand a chance against me boy. I was the one who killed you're family; for all their skills, it was disappointingly easy to finish them when they weren't expecting an attack." The leader, Hito as he was known, tossed aside the Hyuga, only caring for his well-being in the sense that he wouldn't die. He also drew a kunai, he would have had more on him, but this mission had required other tools and he had left the other kunai behind at the hotel.

Hito charged, but was unprepared for Sentsu sudden strike. "**Ikazuchi Raizō,**" The sudden bolt of lightning missed the Jonin, but that was beside the point, with that visible of a move, both to the naked eye, and especially to the chakra seeing power of the Byakugan, other ninja would be arriving at the scene in a matter of moments.

"You've done it now gaki, the Hyuga will be upon us any moment, they'll slaughter us both for this. You leave me no choice." With a sudden burst of speed, Sentsu finds himself pinned to the ground, barely fending of the slowly advancing blade of his enemy's kunai with his own.

"You forget yourself, Hito. You killed my family through surprise, and know, our gifts and that surprise will destroy you know. **HiJustsu: Nagareru Ha**" The sudden surge of chakra caught the Jonin by surprise, and before he could move, the kunai, both his and his opponents, and seemed to liquefy; but then he knew no more, as the new weapon was embedded deep in his chest.

The body of the Kumo Jonin was just falling to the ground when an enraged Hyuga, the clan head no less, arrived on the scene. He was shocked to see the fallen body of the Kumo diplomat, and even more so when the young Chunin from that team shoved the body off of him and withdrew the overly large kunai embedded in the others chest. Instantly, the Hyuga was alert once more, ready to attack should the ninja make any move towards his son. Sentsu looked at the Hyuga Clan Head and calmly stated, "Himitsu-sama, I apologize for what my former subordinate has done to your family. Know this, I have also suffered at his hand, though I did not know the work was his at the time. He shall bother families no more." Here, Sentsu raised the large kunai and placed the tip directly in the center of the Kumo symbol of his Hitai-ite. "No longer shall a give any allegiance to the village that condones such unspeakable behavior." Grasping the ring, he seems to pull the kunai apart into two, regular sized kunai; and as he does his, the tips scratch a line through the middle of the plate. I shall go now, and seek a place where I may properly grieve for all the harm that this…_man_…has caused. I bid you farewell."

"Wait, tell me stranger, what name do I call you, the one who has saved my son!" Even as he disappeared into the crackling ball of energy that marked his preferred form of **Sunshin no Jutsu**, then whispered reply of "Sentsu," could be heard on the wind. "Sentsu…a fitting name for a warrior such as he."

Chunin: Journeyman or Middle Ninja.

Kumogakure no Sato: Village hidden by Clouds.

Okaa-san: Mother.

Otou-san: Father.

Kumo: Cloud.

Raikage: Thunder Shadow.

Konohagakure no Sato: Village hidden by Tree Leaves.

Kiri: Mist.

Suna: Sand.

Kusa: Grass.

Ration: Lightning Release.

HiJutsu: Secret Techniques, usually techniques associated with a bloodline.

Jonin: Elite Ninja.

Gaki: Brat.

-sama: A notation of respect.

Nuke-nin: A traitor ninja who has abandoned his village.

Ki: also called Killing Intent.

**Kanashibari no Jutsu**: Temporary Paralysis Technique.

**Ikazuchi Raizō**:Thunderbolt Strike.

**HiJustsu: Nagareru Ha**: Secret Technique: Flowing Blades.

Hitai-ite: Headband.

**Sunshin no Jutsu**: Body Flicker Technique.

Names:

Sentsu – A word meaning "Warrior"

Senbi – A word meaning "Strict"

Hito – A randomly made up name, so I didn't have to keep calling him by other titles.

Himitsu – A word meaning "Secret"

A.N. – If you want more detailed descriptions of techniques, whether they are original or not, just leave that in a review, and I'll add that to a later chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Shutsugen no Mahoutsukai **

_**By: bigo4190**_

_Disclaimer: I don't own either __Harry Potter__ or __Naruto__; those belong to J.K. Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto respectively. What I chose to do with those characters is my only contribution, save for a few easily spotted other characters._

"Blah" – Regular Speech  
'_Blah_' – Thoughts  
Blah – Flashback, thoughts and speech are represented as above, with the underline added.  
"**Blah**" – Jutsu  
"_B__lah_" - Spell

A.N. - I do plan to use some Japanese Romaji, if it's not quite right, deal with it. Translations will be offered at the bottom of each chapter, in the order that they appear in the text. This first appearance of any word will be the one marked, and if a word occurs frequently between chapters, it will eventually stop appearing in the notes, as you should have some clue what they are by that point.

Also note that this story, since it is more if a prequel than anything else, does not feature many of the usual characters from either story, though they show up towards the end.

Chapter 2

* * *

'_How do I end up in these messes again? Why did I listen to that nut? Even the little bit I know about seals should have let me know that that talisman was unstable and incomplete; he even said as much, even if he did under emphasize it. Now I'm stuck here, in a place surrounded by people who speak a completely different language, and with no way to get back, not without discovering whatever method they have that is similar to these seals; but everyone I've meet, even if I don't understand the language, seems to be a civilian._'

No longer was Sentsu anywhere near Konohagakure, in fact, he was so far away he had no clue how far away he truly was. For the third time in as many hours, Sentsu was berating himself for accepting and **using** those seals offered to him by the strange man at the inn in Umi no Kuni. No, he was foolish enough to use them anyway, listening to the man's promise that they would take him far away, so that he might find a new land and start anew; well they had done that, but he had no clue how to understand the language spoken hear, so different from his native tongue.

* * *

Just as night was falling, and Sentsu was preparing himself to camp in one of the, hat he could only assume to be, park areas of the strange city he found himself in, he tried one last time to speak to someone in the town. "Konbanwa, watashi o tasukeru koto ga dekiru."

The man looked shock for a second, before quickly responding, "Hai." Sentsu looked relieved and followed as the man motioned for him to follow; Ninja training still prevailed and Sentsu never dropped his guard completely. When they reached what Sentsu rightly assumed was the man's home, they paused, as the man seriously studied Sentsu, who felt immense relief that he had not still been wearing the blood stained clothes of the other night. Finally the man nods to himself, and motions Sentsu inside.

Once they had settled themselves at the kitchen table, and a pot of tea was brewing between them, the man turned once more to Sentsu, "I am Hoka Shinsetsu, and I wonder stranger, how is it you are here deep in London with no personal belongings besides what you wear, and no ability in the local language."

"Thank you most kindly for your generosity, I am called Uzumaki Sentsu. As for my…predicament, it is a most complicated matter. I have recently discovered that the man who I owed allegiance to, and indeed the man who had become a source of strength in the dark days after the murder of my family, both direct and extended, is in fact, the very man who ordered their death, so that he might better have control over me and my…special talents, which far exceed those of any other from my family."

"Before you continue brave one, the tea is ready. It is always sad to hear that one of special talent should suffer do to others who wish that power to be used differently, or perhaps disappear; I myself have had similar, though nowhere near as drastic, experiences." With this Shinsetsu drew what appeared to be a stick from his sleeve, and with a wave, two cups flew from the nearby cabinets, one landing before each of them. With another lazy flick, the pot lifted of the table, and proceeded to pour its contents into each person's cup.

Sentsu looked on stunned, never before had he seen any such skills. No jutsu he knew of required only the waving of a stick, nor could any jutsu he knew of do what he had seen. "You are most gracious. My talents seem to flow from a different source, or at least display themselves differently from yours. However, these skills may be just what I need to return home. For you see, I was given a strange talisman, inscribed and empowered with some of the secrets of our arts, and being foolish, activated it. I was warned that to return, should I wish to do so, that I would need to learn the equivalent system of the people whom I met. Until now, I have not met any who displayed any skills that at all could compare to mine, perhaps now you may help me learn what it is I must do."

"I am shocked, I had not known that any system besides the mahoujutsu that I have learned existed to perform feats beyond normal human limits. I will certainly try to help you return; I have an idea of what skills you may need to complete the return portion of your talisman, however, I am not qualified in the fields, but perhaps I could point you to one who may. If I am not mistaken, you would only 16 or 17 years of age, am I right?"

Sentsu nodded to the man, as he had yet to swallow his sip of tea. "Yes, I am 16, and have been so for only 4 months. You say fields of study, what would they be, and why must it be in two or more fields, what was done was performed in only one discipline."

"That may be, but, the method I believe would work best for you requires runes to be inscribed, their study and meaning is one branch, as is minor effects their use may bring; the other branch is called Arithmancy, and is needed for the more complex results that I am sure your talisman will need. One more thing, I would suggest learning the English language, as the best school for you to learn these magic's is here, called Hogwarts. I have recently graduated myself, and I think I may be able to get you enrolled; though be glad you had not come last year, when the war was still being waged."

"You're mahoujutsu seem powerful, perhaps I will study more than these two branches, they may be useful. Perhaps…perhaps there is a, what do you call your individual skills?"

"Spells."

"Thank you. Perhaps there is a spell to allow me to learn the language more easily." Here, Sentsu looked hopefully to his host. He seemed to think deeply for a second, and then suddenly shook himself, as if realizing something he had forgotten.

"Of course, how could I have forgotten? Well, it is an obscure spell, but it would work; it allows me to share knowledge with another, and for you my friend, I will only pass on knowledge, and not ask for any in return."

Sentsu stood looking shocked. Here he had just met the man, and already he was calling him friend, and offering a great service without asking for anything in return. "I-I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't seem like enough. Are you sure there is nothing you would like in return?"

"No, it is quite alright. I don't need any other skills. I am quite content with the skills I have. I don't plan to stay here in Britain much longer and this is my last bit of goodwill in the area. Just allow me." Shinsetsu raised his wand, tapping himself on the head, and then gestured towards Sentsu. There was a flash of light from the wand, and suddenly, Sentsu knew the English language, as simple as that. His vocabulary was only limited by what words he knew in his own language. Deciding to make sure the Sentsu would be able to cope with the new knowledge, Shinsetsu switched their conversation over to English; "There, it is done. Tomorrow we shall go to Hogwarts in the morning; but for now, rest, you have had a tiring day, I am sure.

* * *

"So, just to be clear, Mr. Uzumaki, you come from what we can only assume to be a hidden continent, where a different form of power than our magic is used. And to return you need an understanding of runes and arithmancy, but you are intrigued by the idea of magic and would like to attend Hogwarts full time to learn more?"

"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore. In fact, most direct, focused magic's seem interesting; I feel no need to attempt Divination nor Muggle Studies, and while Potions could be useful, the ingredients would be hard to come by in my home, and I don't think frequent trips back and forth would be acceptable.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore looked at the young man before him and could hardly disagree with his assessment. "You are correct, and I agree with you about classes. Now for the practical side of this, you cannot enter Hogwarts at the level your age would suggest; neither however, can you start as a first year. Let's hope you're a quick study, because we need you caught up to 5th year level in the space of the next two months."

Sentsu nodded, already somewhat expecting this. He knew from what Shinsetsu had told him yesterday that there were a series of vigorous exams in the 5th year, and that he would have to pass them to take more advanced courses. "If you think that is the best course of action Headmaster. Though it pains me to fall behind where other my age would be, it will be necessary; and I believe I would be right to assume that you would not be able to give me these OWL's at any but the scheduled times."

The ever-present twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to flash brighter for a second as he chuckled. "Quite right. They are officially administered by the Ministry of Magic and as such, beyond my control to influence. You're acceptance is very gracious, and I hope you're lessons go well. As for you're schedule—"

* * *

The time had been grueling, but he had proved it, Uzumaki Sentsu is a quick study. The greatest change for him was using that silly wand. But, once he got used to it, the amplifying power it provided made him glad for his diligence…now, if he could figure out how to combine magic with his jutsu and create **true** mahoujutsu. Of course, it hadn't all been fun and games; you don't get knocked around by some of the greatest in a field and not come away feeling sore. On the other hand, he wasn't the only one to learn things; it seems his natural Shinobi talents ended up being a blessing for some of his lessons, particularly the focused magics, as he had come to call Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms.

* * *

"Uzumaki! What did you just do? A simple _R__educto_ shouldn't have that much power, no matter the strength of the wizard casting it."

"I don't know, Professor Wilson. Unless…yes, that might affect it in some way."

"What would, Uzumaki? Out with it!"

"The powers if those where I come from are rooted in elemental manipulation. My own powers are particularly strong with Thunder and Lightning, perhaps that is adding a bit more…zip…to my spells."

"Perhaps, but tell me, do you think it might work the same for defense." Without waiting for a reply, the teacher threw an impediment jinx towards Sentsu.

"_Protego!_" Even as the shimmering protection of the shield rose between them, they could tell something was different. When the spell reflected instead of merely dissipating, they realized that the Lightning affinity really did seem to make a difference, though adrenaline seemed to make a large part of the _shocking_ results as well.

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Professors?" Sentsu had come to his usual training room for Transfiguration a few minutes early at the request of the two teachers who had been instructing him. Dumbledore was the first to speak.

"Yes, we were wondering if you had any idea what was allowing you to so easily grasp the concepts of Transfiguration. You have already explained you're proficiency for Defense and Charms, but I do not think that Lightning is the answer to your grasp of Transfiguration."

Before Sentsu could speak, the other professor, the current Transfiguration professor of Hogwarts, Edward Potter added his own questions. "Do you have any wish of pursuing this field beyond merely the graduating proficiency of NEWT's, Uzumaki? What I mean to ask is, do you wish to study to become an animagus? If you have a form, I do believe that you would have the skill to be able to complete the transformation."

"I am honored by your belief in me Professor Potter. And as too why I have such an affinity? I believe that has to do with a hereditary power of my family, the ability to directly manipulate the form of a metal directly or indirectly in contact with us. While change something from one form, at it base, is difference than changing the shape, I do have the advantage of being used to manipulating changes in objects by thought.

* * *

After that it had been a simple matter of having a block of steel conjured, which he then quickly had transformed into a statue of a phoenix with merely a touch and a thought. Those private Animagus lessons were scheduled to begin once the school year started. It also seemed that with the impression made on him, Edward Potter had quickly warmed up to Sentsu, insisting that he be called Edward in private.

After the first few weeks getting used to the wand, the concepts of runes and arithmancy were introduced. Since the class only began being offered in third year, there wasn't as much to cover, however, the material was more complex and it took him a bit longer to grasp the concepts. Finally, the 1st of September arrived, and it was time for Uzumaki Sentsu to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

Umi no Kuni: Land of Sea  
Konbanwa, watashi o tasukeru koto ga dekiru: Good Evening, could you help me.  
Hai: Yes, in the sense of confirmation  
Mahoujutsu: Magic


	3. Chapter 3

Shutsugen no Mahoutsukai

By: bigo4190

Disclaimer: I don't own either Harry Potter or Naruto; those belong to J.K. Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto respectively. What I chose to do with those characters is my only contribution, save for a few easily spotted other characters.

"Blah" – Regular Speech  
'Blah' – Thoughts  
Blah – Flashback, thoughts and speech are represented as above, with the underline added.  
"**Blah**" – Jutsu  
"_Blah_" - Spell

A.N. - I do plan to use some Japanese Romaji, if it's not quite right, deal with it. Translations will be offered at the bottom of each chapter, in the order that they appear in the text. This first appearance of any word will be the one marked, and if a word occurs frequently between chapters, it will eventually stop appearing in the notes, as you should have some clue what they are by that point.

Also note that this story, since it is more if a prequel than anything else, does not feature many of the usual characters from either story, though they show up towards the end.

Chapter 2

* * *

"Welcome all, to another year at Hogwarts. Here, at the beginning of my first year as Headmaster of Hogwarts, I have the pleasure of announcing some most unique changes to the upcoming school year. First, please welcome Edward Potter as the new Transfiguration professor. Second, as many of the older students may have no doubt deduced, I have named our very own Rowan Wilson as my Deputy. And, as our most unexpected change, allow me to introduce our new transfer student: Mr. Sentsu Uzumaki, if you would please.

As Sentsu came out into the Great Hall from behind the Head Table, the whisperings in the hall began to increase in volume; until he reached the stool still holding the sorting hat, for then the hall grew completely silent. And then, the hat slipped over his eyes.

"Well now, what do we have here? A Shinobi; I must say, I have never before met one such as yourself. Even when I was new-made, your kind was but nothing but stories used to frighten unruly children. To find now, after so many years that those myths…well, I'm getting off topic. You are here to be sorted, and sorted you shall be…but where to put you? You are cunning, no doubt of that, but you're ambitions are for righting a wrong done to you in the past, not for greater gain; so not Slytherin. You have come to Hogwarts seeking knowledge, but not for its own sake; so not Ravenclaw. You are loyal, but have been betrayed many times, and now do not offer your trust so easily; so most definitely not Hufflepuff. Well now, courage and honor those you have in abundance, you aren't afraid to stick up for what you know to be right, no matter the opinions of others; yes, yes, that is the place for you. Best be…GRYFFINDOR!"

The sudden shock of the hats yell after the long silence in the hall caused quite a few reactions, but Sentsu removed the hat calmly, placed it back on the stool, and walked towards the loudly cheering Gryffindor table. Upon his arrival a cheerful red-haired boy about his age guided him into a seat. "Hello there; I'm Septimus Weasley. What year are you entering, can't be first?"

"Fifth. By age, I should be a sixth, but can't take the tests till their scheduled so…"

"Ah, I understand, at least…I think I do. Why couldn't you take the test, or some equivalent wherever you were?"

"Because, we didn't study magic. I was learning something else entirely, so everything I know of magic I learned in the last two months."

"Two…months, and they think you're ready for _fifth_ year?"

"Well, I did manage to knock Professor Wilson around a time or two. And Ed…Professor Potter has offered me private lessons to continue other, less vital, skills in Transfiguration because I impressed him.

"I'd say you impressed him, did you just nearly call him by name? What, you best of friends or something?"

"Something, he's easy enough to get along with, once you get him to open up. I'll introduce you sometime, after class, alright."

* * *

Over the course of the next year, Sentsu became good friends with Septimus, who was also a fifth year. Over that year as well, the bond between Edward and Sentsu grew, with the young ninja becoming a surrogate little brother to the older wizard. The Animagus ability, it turned out, was not one that Sentsu possessed, but private lessons in Advanced Transfiguration not covered on the standard test were still held, allowing the two to grow closer.

As the end of the year drew nearer, Sentsu realized he would have nowhere to stay after the term was over. He doubted that he could stay at Hogwarts as he did for his cramming lessons the last summer, so he approached Edward. "Hey, Edward?"

"Yes. What is it Sentsu?"

"I…uh, just realized…"

"What is it Sentsu? What has you so nervous? You haven't broken any rules have you? How many time have I told you to stop hexing Orion Black?"

"It's not that, and he deserved it last time. How could he say those kinds of things to his own cousin? And what I came here for was to ask you…might I stay with you over the summer?

"Of course. I was actually planning to ask if you had made plans some time in the next week. It would be a delight having you at my home. I know my wife will absolutely love you."

* * *

So over the course of the summer, the odd pair of surrogate brothers grew closer, and Sentsu's OWL results came in: perfect O's in the focused magics, and E's in Runes and Arithmancy. In fact, the Transfiguration score was the tied for second highest on record, with Edward's own as well as the results from one girl the year before—Minerva McGonagall.

"So Sentsu, ready for another year? Seems I still have a bit I can teach you, you only tied my score after all."

"Bring it on Edward. Unless it's something I have no natural talent for, I'll get it down in no time."

"Boys, quite bickering. Always trying to one-up the other; if I didn't know better, I'd say you two were actually brothers."

"Yes, yes, you've said it before Helena. What an honor it would be if that were true. To think…such an a humble family accepted into the great Uzumaki Clan."

"Har, har. You do realize that you would technically be the head of your clan, don't you, Sentsu? Much as I am a Potter, you could give an honorary clan membership or something, couldn't you?"

"I never thought of that." Sentsu smiles happily towards Edward and his wife Helena, "Consider yourselves to be honorary Uzumaki. Since I have no village affiliation, or clan files at the moment, I'll write that down as the first piece of our new records."

* * *

"Welcome all, to another year at Hogwarts. It is a pleasure to see all of you here with us today…." And with these words began Sentsu's sixth year at Hogwarts. Over the year, Sentsu and Septimus discovered a hidden friend in Cedrella Black, whom Sentsu had defended at times the year before. By the end of the Easter Holidays, she and Septimus were all but dating; and by final exams, they were officially dating, though in secret, fearing her family's reaction. Beyond this, the year was uneventful, and passed quietly into another summer.

"Edward, there is a letter for you from Hogwarts."

"What does Dumbledore want now?" Edward shuffles over to his wife, taking the letter from her hands and quickly scanning through the loopy handwriting. "So, McGonagall beat out my scores, and is interested in the position? Guess I'll talk to her, see if she really has the potential. Always nice to train a successor—Dumbledore certainly taught me enough.

"You mean I have a new target to surpass now; Minerva beat you." Sentsu was smirking, knowing from his few talks with the girl that he had little chance of actually out-performing her; he may be a quick study, and naturally talented at Transfiguration, but talent like hers only comes once a generation. Besides, Runes and Arithmancy were taking more and more of his time now. He may have found a beginning to the array he would need to get back.

* * *

"Welcome all, to another year at Hogwarts. This year, our Transfiguration Professor will be tutoring former student Minerva McGonagall, should she be in your classes, treat her with the same respect that you would treat any other professor; in the halls, she is to have the authority as the Prefects." And with one more speech, Sentsu's last year of formal magical education began.

Septimus and Cedrella were drawing closer with every passing day; and not that they grew apart from Sentsu, but they did find less time for him. They remained grateful for his friendship however, because he had the cunning to keep their relationship hidden when their own actions nearly gave it away.

Also, the beginnings of a new fascination began to enter Sentsu's head. His clan had always been renowned for their sword skills at a level only slightly under the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu (the ability to manipulate the form of metal comes in handy, ne?) and he felt it was time to focus on gaining this ability for his own benefit. So while he kept up with Transfiguration lessons, he decreased his level, throwing most of his effort into swords and a way home.

* * *

It was a proud day for Uzumaki Sentsu when he finally received his NEWT results. Outstanding, in all fields he attempted, special honors in none, but even the 5 O's was an impressive result for a man who had studied magic for just over 3 years. Unfortunately, the device for his return, which was quickly becoming a more and more daunting project, had progressed little. His new swords, a matching pair of traditionally styled swords—in fact, they were Shin Gunto, the new sword of the Japanese Army, which he had gotten through a few contacts of his old friend Shinsetsu. His method for wearing them however, was somewhat unconventional, keeping both swords in the traditional Tachi manner (blade down) on his left hip. The only way that he was able to draw them in an effective manner was through using his bloodline to reshape the bald of the sword staying in his left hand—but watching the blade liquefy and reform, as dangerous as ever was just impressive. However, he had plans for one last weapon, a sword that would take advantage of his natural affinity, and not his Kekkei Genkai. He sought to create a small, sword hilt sized baton, capable of generating a refined, focused blade of electricity. It would become a usable Nodachi, as its only weight would be the handle.

The Potters had welcomed Sentsu into their home after his graduation, promising that may stay with them for as long as he needed. The offer was greatly received, and Sentsu became a resident of Potter Manor until he had completed his projects. As it was, from his graduation in 1949, he spent 10 long years working on the projects, completing the Nodachi first, as it was the simpler project. The transportation, once finished, was something akin to a multi-use portkey of exceptional power. However, it had several flaws: first, it was not as exact as Sentsu would like, but there was little he could discover that would improve it, and second, it would only suffice to get him from England to the Hidden Countries, but not back. Luckily, he had used his new knowledge to tweak the seals used on the talisman that had brought him to England, and inscribed them on the inside of the bracelet he used to hold the Runes. Hopefully the Indestructible Charming he had done would hold up to Shinobi combat.

There was a way he mostly compensated for the aiming flaw, as he had found away to make the transport patterns seek another one, and thus given a matching set of patterns to Edward. Testing the feature, they discovered that a letter placed over one set of seals could be sent to the other without the pattern itself being transported. It was only with this reassurance that the Potters finally relented to allowing Sentsu to leave for the Hidden Countries—for they had named him as Godfather for their only son, born merely months before the completion of the designs. The designs would remain in Potter Manor, with instructions for their operation, so that if anything should happen to them, James would have someone they trusted utterly to help him.

**Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu** – Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist: the greatest swordsmen in the world (or so it is said).  
**Shin Gunto** – Lit. New Army Sword: The standard issue sword of Japanese Army officers, styled in the manner of more traditional blades during the peak of Japanese Nationalistic Spirit.  
**Tachi** – An old style of Japanese Sword, sometimes more curved than the Katana, but differentiated most by its wearing. It is worn so the blade faces downward, and is slung from the belt, rather than through it.  
**Kekkei Genkai** – A "Bloodline Limit": a special ability inherited in certain families.  
**Nodachi** – lit. Great Big Sword (O-Da-Chi): An oversized sword, not normally used due to its unwieldy length and heavy weight.


	4. Chapter 4

Shutsugen no Mahoutsukai

By: bigo4190

Disclaimer: I don't own either Harry Potter or Naruto; those belong to J.K. Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto respectively. What I chose to do with those characters is my only contribution, save for a few easily spotted other characters.

"Blah" – Regular Speech  
'Blah' – Thoughts  
Blah – Flashback, thoughts and speech are represented as above, with the underline added.  
"**Blah**" – Jutsu  
"_Blah_" - Spell

A.N. - I do plan to use some Japanese Romaji, if it's not quite right, deal with it.

Also note that this story, since it is more if a prequel than anything else, does not feature many of the usual characters from either story, though they show up towards the end.

Chapter 4

* * *

Though he had dreamed of his return for the last 13 years, the now 30 year old found that the day he decided to leave, he was doing so with a very heavy heart. He was leaving behind very good friends, only to go to a place where many wanted him dead. But being a Shinobi was in his blood, and he only hoped that his skills had not rusted to terribly without true combat experience in a long time.

Soon after activating his talisman, he found himself standing outside a small inn, in fact the very inn that he had bought the first talisman that sent him to the wizarding world. So, with a quick glance to make sure he may still be presentable in a public establishment, Sentsu walked inside. He calmly walked over to the only table with any open seats, off in the corner, with one man who, while getting on in years, radiated a sense of danger. "May I sit?"

The man eyed Sentsu for a moment, and nodded as his eyes passed over the hilts of Sentsu swords where they were visible on his belt. "Certainly, always happy to speak to a swordsman. Tell me, do you carry those merely for show, or are you skilled with them?"

"I have a small talent with them, though not as much as I would like; luckily I have other skills to fall back upon if they fail me." The man looks at him again, searching him with more focused eyes than before.

"Shinobi? For I see no Hitai-ite to mark your status."

"Nuke-nin. I discovered that I was deceived over a matter of great importance. And I have other skills that may be useful, though I have not had an opportunity to test them in high level combat."

The man gave another questioning look, before a feral grin spread across his face. "Well, I may be able to help with some of that. I could at least see if you have the skill you believe with that sword." With that, the man stood, and then proceeded to pull a large sword out from where it had been laying in the shadows beside him.  


* * *

The two quickly made their way into a clearing in the woods, so they would remain unobserved by others. As Sentsu slid into a ready stance, blades still not drawn, the other man observed him. "Hm. I don't recognize that form, but I can see that it has merit. But tell me, what good will the swords do you both upon that side—I do not see how you could draw the second sword with your left hand, unless it is far shorter than its sheath."

"Perhaps I should show you." And without another word, Sentsu pulled the blades from their sheaths. The other man watched, shocked as the blade flowed through the hilt of the sword in Sentsu's left hand, forming again so he held a perfectly usable sword once more—The entire process had taken far less than a second, certainly not long enough to be a lethal detriment in combat.

"An Uzumaki from Kumo. Yes, that would explain some things—you must be their rogue, the one who survived the massacre. Were have you been that you completely disappeared of the map. The hunter-nin don't even bother looking for you anymore. You're presumed dead. Personally, I could care less, you seem a decent sort, and something always seemed off about the massacre of your clan."

"You would be right, it was staged by the Raikage, I was spared to become his personal weapon, but some people had loose mouths. But I though we came here to spar; attack me, or I shall." Another moment passed, and then on an invisible signal, both men charged into battle. It was proof both of the man's immense skill that, though Sentsu was actually shockingly skilled with his swords, the man easily held him off with a much larger and unwieldy sword.

Without warning, the man leapt back from their clash, and without so much as another motion, a copy of the man rose out of the water. Sentsu narrows his eyes, "It seems that I am not the only one who does not display his former allegiance so obviously."

"I merely allow my sword to speak for itself." With those words, light flashed of the blade, revealing a design that Sentsu had up to this point missed on the flat of the blade.

"A Kiri-nin, which would explain your proficency with that blade. It seems now is the time to reveal my last remaining weapon. As quickly as he had drawn them, the swords were returned to their sheaths, and Sentsu pulled something from it resting place on his back.

The man looks at him strangely. "You think a small baton will serve you better than your twin swords, especially now when there are two of me." But even as he finishes the statement, he knows he is missing something—the smirk on Sentsu's face is only an added assurance. Shock turns to awe when the baton suddenly glows before emitting a perfectly formed Nodachi blade made solely of electricity; and awe turns to the beginnings of fear as the air seems to crackle with a charge of lightning before suddenly a perfect copy of Sentsu stands at his side, an identical sword held in the same manner. "You truly are a former Kumo-nin, to so effortlessly use lightning in the manner you do when none is naturally available. I believe I am correct in saying that like my **Mizu Bunshin**, your **Rai Bunshin** is incapable of being more than 100 feet from you, and has only a fraction–1/8 in your jutsu's case I believe–of the chakra that you do?"

"Good memory. You may also remember that according to simple physics, your clone will be extremely weak to my sword, the water that forms his body conducting the lightning of my sword—and my clone's." Then, as suddenly as the clones had appeared, all four figures in the clearing disappeared.

The high-speed combat only lasted a brief moment, before the figures reappeared. However, the clones both suddenly fell apart, dissolving into a puddle of water and a shower of sparks respectively, and then Sentsu doubled over, clutching his stomach where a bruise was quickly forming. The mysterious man looked on in apparent disinterest, though the small twitch at the corner of his mouth–and the sudden spikiness of his white hair–proved that he had not been completely unchallenged in the fight. After a pause filled only by Sentsu's gasps for breath, the man spoke, "You could certainly improve, but I am… shocked… at how well you wield your weapons. I'm going to be in the area for a while, perhaps we should continue to train together. The world always needs sword-masters, and you are quite close."

After drawing one more shaky breath, Sentsu stood and addressed the man, "I would be honored, though I may regret it if thing continue the way they have."

* * *

It was several months later, after the man had continued to stretch his 'a while' to unbelievable lengths, he finally said something different at the end of their evening training session. "So, Sentsu, it's been several months that we have trained together, and I have nothing more to teach you. Your sword technique is on par with what mine was in my prime; you have expanded your repertoire of jutsu to include several of my water techniques, adding variety to your arsenal, and allowing for interesting combos; and finally, you have shown me the power of your mahoujutsu, and I am most impressed with them.

"I am honored by your praise, Sensei."

"I am no longer your sensei, Sentsu, merely a man. Call me by my given name, Nyorobon Goriki."

"Y-you are the leader of," before Sentsu could finish his statement, Goriki cut him off.

"No, I was the leader, by now it's probably that Hoshigaki. Now that you are trained, you are to be my replacement in their numbers." With that, Goriki pulled out several scrolls. One bore the official seal of Kirigakure, the other a plain seal. Biting his thumb, Goriki swiped blood across the official scroll, and in a puff of smoke, three objects appeared. One was a Hitai-ite of exquisite quality; a deep black plate only reflective where the symbol of Kiri had been engraved, and a deep blue-gray cloth that shimmered in the light like the surface of a turbulent ocean. The other objects were more scrolls: one also sealed with the official seal, the other unsealed. "My time has passed, and since I would have no member of Kirigakure as a student, the Mizukage sent me to seek one who would replace me. The Hitai-ite is the mark of a welcomed outsider: one who has been accepted as an equal in Kiri, though not a member of the ninja forces. Combined with the official summons from the Mizukage," here he gestured to the sealed scroll that had been in the first unsealed scroll, "will grant you entrance to our walls, and an audience with the Mizukage. Finally there is the storage scroll, into which you are to seal my blade. Now, now, don't look so shocked. My time as a warrior is over, and I have retired from the forces of Kiri, and thus can bare nothing with their mark. The sword is yours to keep, take could care of it and remember me."

"I will S-Goriki-sama."

Shaking his head at Sentsu continued deference, Goriki continued. "This other storage scroll contains a few letters: one for you, one for the other swordsmen, one for one of them–Momochi Zabuza– in particular, and finally, one for my daughter–Rujura. Now, I am an old man, and I shall retire peacefully into the country–a gift most Shinobi are unable to attain or appreciate."

"I shall do my best, in order to honor your memory Sensei. And while I am glad to be on the way to being an active Shinobi once more, I am apprehensive about the Kiri from the stories you have told me."

"Nowhere is perfect, Sentsu, and Kiri has many faults, but I think you will do well there."

The two wrapped up their goodbyes in time, and went their separate ways: Goriki to explore the continent, looking for the place to settle down; and Sentsu to the harbor, bound for Mizu no Kuni and Kirigakure.


	5. Chapter 5

Shutsugen no Mahoutsukai  
By: bigo4190

Disclaimer: I don't own either Harry Potter or Naruto; those belong to J.K. Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto respectively. What I chose to do with those characters is my only contribution, save for a few easily spotted other characters.

"Blah" – Regular Speech  
'Blah' – Thoughts  
Blah – Flashback, thoughts and speech are represented as above, with the underline added.  
"**Blah**" – Jutsu  
"_Blah_" - Spell

A.N. - I do plan to use some Japanese Romaji, if it's not quite right, deal with it.

Also note that this story, since it is more if a prequel than anything else, does not feature many of the usual characters from either story, though they show up towards the end.

Chapter 5

* * *

Sentsu heaved a heavy sigh: the journey had been long more than difficult, but he had arrived at Kirigakure. Now that he had past the security, he was being escorted to meet the Mizukage. It was well known around the hidden countries that the Yondaime Mizukage had taken the harsh practices of the Sandaime and from them created a set of policies that had earned the village the title Chigiri no Sato. Beyond that information, the rest of the countries knew little else, as Kiri had always been the most secretive of the identity of their Kages.

Sentsu was shaken from his musings as they stopped in front of the doors to the Mizukage's office. While the apprehension he felt about meeting such a feared and ruthless leader was great, there was also a sense of eagerness for discovering what little he could about the Mizukage.

Finally, after a long wait, the doors opened, and Sentsu was admitted into the office. Stepping into the office, he caught his first glance of the Mizukage, and was rather unsurprised to see him wearing the traditional robe and hat, which obscured his face from view. While the figure was slight, and could possibly belong to a girl, Sentsu felt a deep sense that this was a male. There was a presence about him that screamed power, even when as tightly contained as the Mizukages aura was; and a strange uneasiness filled Sentsu when he sensed this power, as if something about it was unnatural. While pondering this, he suddenly recalled the one of the other clans from Kumo, the Yotsuki clan, who had sealed the Hachibi into one of their own members. The clan had never agreed with all of the policies of the Raikage, and this became a most troubling fact as young Kirabi grew older, as he seemed to have suprising control over the power of the Hachibi, and that power had a similar feel to the power coming from the Mizukage. Sentsu straightened his posture even more, realizing just how dangerous the man in front of him could truly be.

The Mizukage let out a small snort, as if amused, "I see you noticed my… condition, shall we say. Surprising, unless you have known one such as I before; even if you met them in passing, I'm sure they left quite the impression on you. I won't ask for more, since that would be bad form when accepting a new Shinobi into my ranks. Goriki was impressed with you, so I most certainly will be; the only other ninja to impress him was Zabuza, but he found another sponsor before Goriki could claim him, so that left him searching for an apprentice. So, tell me your name, and explain to me what talent in Kenjutsu you have shown to earn the privileged membership into the Shinobigatana Nananin."

"I am Uzumaki Sentsu, formerly of Kumogakure no Sato, and last member of my clan. I wield three swords: the two at my waist, traditional Tachi, unique only in the level of craftsmanship and the sharpness of their blades; my third sword is my signature, a chakra blade of my own design. The handle contains seals allowing me to focus Lightning Chakra into the form of a Nodachi blade. It has proved most effective in combat, as the energy blade adds no weight to the sword, and the lightning of the blade can travel down traditional swords without my blade losing integrity."

"Intriguing. I see you bear no grudge against us for what occurred during the last war. Our ninja, especially our Kekkei Genkai clan members did considerable damage to your forces. You would serve me now, knowing what my county's ninja did on my orders?"

"Mizukage-sama, I understand war. Since nothing was done to me or mine out of personal feeling, I hold no grudge. I lost my family to the Raikage's ambition; his own choice to massacre my clan is what, in part, led to the downfall of our forces in that war.

"Well spoken Uzumaki. I had not known the truth of your massacre, but it does not surprise me, your Raikage was always rather headstrong. I prefer to sit back, and decide carefully on my plan of action. And if something that would cause a major turnabout in the composition of my ninja forces was to occur, whether part of my plans or no, I would make sure to stay out of major conflict until the change was settled. But enough of uncertain politics we are here to get you settled." With that, the Mizukage stood, and removed his hat. The man revealed had strange, stitch-like markings running down his face from beneath his left eye, which, like his right was a rather odd shade of lavender. Much like the rest of his body, his face held a delicateness that could be just as easily found on a female, but the way his jaw was set hinted at a power and resolve not seen in many people, "I accept you, Uzumaki Sentsu, into the ranks of my Kirigakure Shinobi." With these words another ninja stepped through the doors, his slender form and calm demeanor offset by the power rolling off his body in waves. In one hand he carried a small pipe; the other contained an offical Kiri seal, not the personal seal of the Mizukage (as his earlier documents had born), but the symbol used as offical identification of Shinobi of Kiri. The Mizukage began again, "This is Utakata, and as you have no doubt guessed, he is like me. He has a charming personality, and has been my friend for many years; he is also my aide. I have had the paperwork for the ninja who would replace Goriki drawn up ever since he left. I need only fill in your name, have your signuture, and affix the offical seal before it becomes binding. I will ask one last time: Do you, Uzumaki Sentsu, swear to uphold my word as law, becoming a faithful ninja of Kirigakure no Sato."

Dropping down to one knee Sentsu replied, "I, Uzumaki Sentsu, do humbly swear to uphold the word of the Mizukage as law, a become a faithful ninja of Kirigakure no Sato."

"Then rise, Uzumaki Sentsu, Jonin of Kiri, and newest member of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shuu."

* * *

After that ceremony, the paperwork was completed, and Sentsu left alongside Utakata, to meet with his new brethren, the other Swordsmen. Their legend held them to be the most powerful swordsmen in the world, and what Goriki had told him only confirmed these rumors. Yet, what he had been told left with mixed feelings. Goriki had claimed that they would seem, upon first meeting them, cut from much the same cloth as each other, bloodthirsty and murderous and with no respect for anyone weaker then them, but for some of them it was merely an act, and the ones who were the actors would be most surprising.

Sentsu stopped his musings when they reached a small building. Beyond the building could be heard the sounds of intense work, most likely the Swordsmen sparring. Utakata turned to face Sentsu and spoke, "Beyond this building is the Training Ground set aside for the Swordsmen. The building itself is a place where official business with the Swordsmen is conducted, such as swearing you in." Utakata motioned him inside, and then led him to a small antechamber, "You should wait here, I will gather the Swordsmen, and then we can introduce you. I warn you though, they will most likely test you, even if Goriki-sama and Mizukage-sama have already approved of you."

"I understand, and as daunting as that may be, I am rather looking forward to it." Shaking his head at the strange enthusiasm of the newest Kiri-nin, Utakata left the building to gather the other swordsmen from their training. Sentsu waited, and after a few moments, he heard the sounds of battle outside stop, and then the sound of voices came from the room outside.

"Alright Utakata, we're listening. Tell us, what is so important that Mizukage-sama had to send you to interrupt our training."

"Calm down, Kisame. I don't think your training will suffer from my arrival here. But rather than tell you, I think you should see for yourself. You can come in now."

Sentsu stepped into the room, calmy surveying the 6 figures carrying swords. Of them all, his eyes were drawn to two in particular. The first was blue, and his sword wrapped in bandages–he new it had to be Hoshigaki Kisame, the newest leader of the Swordsmen. The other was Momochi Zabuza–the bandage covered face, lack of shirt, and giant Zanpatou that he insited on calling a 'knife' meant it could be no one else. He noticed that after the first second of surprise all of the Swordsmen appraised him, and he saw the realization in their eyes when their eyes fell on his Tachi.

"So Mizukage-sama picked some nobody to fill our ranks. Did he finally give up on Goriki-sama?"

Before Utakata could come to the Mizukage's defense, Sentu stopped him. "I assure you, Hoshigaki Kisame, that I am not 'some nobody' as you put it. Goriki-sensei sent me to Kiri with his full confidence. I believe his exact words were, 'Your sword technique is on par with what mine was in my prime.'" Sentsu had met Kisame's gaze, and as he finished, his gaze seemed to gain a challenging glint, daring Kisame to challenge his statement.

Kisame continued the contest before breaking the gaze off, turning to look at the other Swordsmen. Then he spoke, "Perhaps we should test that confidence then?" He turned back to Sentsu, "So then, stranger, will you honor us with a demonstration of your skills?"

Before Sentsu could respond, Zabuza broke in, "And tell us your name, I will not face a nameless opponent."

Sentsu snorted, "I will tell you my name, but it is common courtesy to introduce yourself when seeking a challenge. Isn't that right, Momochi Zabuza? But let us head outside. I will allow my blades to speak for me; you will get all the introduction you need from them." With that Sentsu turned and walked out through the door on the nearby wall, heading out onto the training fields. Shocked and puzzled by his declaration, the other Swordsmen followed, Utakata behind, shaking his head at the antics of all of the Swordsmen.

After a brief moment, the Ninja had settled into position: Sentsu on one end of the field, facing the other six Swordsmen on the other, and Utakata off to the side, watching to make sure no one got too carried away. There was a small fuss amongst the established swordsmen as to who would face Sentsu first, but eventually they reached a consensus: they would fight him in order of their rank, from weakest to strongest, and where he was defeated would determine his rank in the group. So with that decided, it was announced to Sentsu.

Sentsu nodded his acknowledgement and acceptance, settled into his stance, and drew his Tachi. The sudden reversal of his left sword left little doubt in their minds as to whom they were facing. It was Zabuza who summed up their feelings, "Well damn, a Kumo Nuke-nin and the survivor of their lost Uzumaki clan–everyone thought you were dead." Sentsu smirked and beckoned his first opponent forward.

* * *

The first few opponents had fallen relatively easily, but then he began to face more difficult opponenst. He had now worked his way up to the fight for second position against Zabuza. So far he had managed to when without revealing anything that they would not expect from him as an Uzumaki from Kumo; he had even managed to avoid drawing his special blade, the one that he and Goriki had named Ikazuchi Kiba. After a few quick exchanges with their blades, Zabuza attempted to turn the battle in his favor; he jumped back and formed a quick one-handed seal, "**Ninpo: Kirigakure no Jutsu**." However he did not get the reaction he was expecting.

Sentsu began to chuckle, a sound all of the Swordsmen were coming to find themselves wary of, as he usually pulled some surprise out soon after. Slowly he stopped his laughing so he could speak, "Ah yes, Zabuza, master of surprise and silent killing. Goriki remembered your skill with the **Kirigakure**, but tell me, did you think that Kiri-nin were the only ones who learned how to fight blind. And you have given me another advantage." All of them, but Zabuza most acutely felt as sudden tension–or perhaps even heaviness–in the air, that suddenly resolved itself with the slightest of crackles. "Mist, much like a cloud, creates an electrical imbalance in the air, making it by far easier for me to create **Rai Bunshin**." Without another sound, Zabuza found himself fending off three versions of his opponent, and dreading that another may be waiting in the mist. Suddenly he felt a small shock from a touch on his hand; not wasting another second he sent a pulse of chakra, and the surrounding mist suddenly condensed into 4 copies of himself. Capitalizing on the suddenness of his move his clones managed to defeat the 3 clones of Sentsu that had been attacking him, though they were also destroyed in the attempt. Once again, the field held only Sentsu and Zabuza, the greatest difference was that Sentsu had sheathed his Tachi once more, and Zabuza's hair seemed slightly more frizzed.

"Do you really think your clones would be enough to defeat me, they are not as strong as you, so it was foolish of you to put away your swords. Now you have nothing to defend yourself with." Without waiting for a reply, Zabuza charged forward, intent to cause as much damage as possible to Sentsu without killing him. However, he noticed Sentsu reaching behind his back to pull out a baton. Just as Kubikiri Houcho came down towards his head, the baton snapped forward and a blade of lightning appeared from it.

"Meet my true sword, Ikazuchi Kiba. Be glad that your sword has a insulated handle, or you would be in a great deal of pain." Suddenly Sentsu's stance shifted, and he forced Zabuza away, and then leaped back. The blade of his weapon disappeared, and he went through a lightning fast series of hand seals, finishing with Usagi, the handle of his sword pointing straight up in a hold–loosely gripped by fingers of the left hand and pinned in place by the right. Suddenly the blade roared to life–quite literally in fact; and Sentsu released a great wave of chakra with a shout, "**Raiton: Rairyuu no Tatsumaki**!" The roar from his sword increased in intensity as it transformed into a dragon composed purely of lightning and the chakra aura around Sentsu also condensed into no less than five other Lightning Dragons, all of which suddenly flashed toward Zabuza, temporarily obscuring Sentsu's form from view.

Utakata narrowed his eyes on the sidelines, '_Did he…?_'

Zabuza was quick to action, swinging his blade to a guard position in front of himself and channeling chakra into it. Suddenly the six Lightning Dragons, which had been arcing around to strike him from all sides suddenly struck straight for the blade. All six struck the blade simultaneously, leaving it glowing with electricity, until Zabuza drove the tip of the blade into the ground, releasing the chakra and lightning directly into the ground. As the glow faded from view, an intricate web of seals could be seen running over the surface of the blade. He snorted derisively, "Did you think the only think special about Kubikiri Houcho was its sharpness? Hah! With the application of chakra, I can use the inlaid seals to draw and contain any lightning, whether natural or chakra based. From there it's simply a matter of discharging the blade."

Across the field, Sentsu stood slightly hunched, panting for breath, "Very good, it manages to cover a major weakness as both a Suiton master and a swordsman. This has been quite an intense tournament, and I think that the next move will likely determine this match–" Sentsu got no further feeling a sudden pressure on his back, just above his left kidney.

"I don't think it will take that long." Standing behind Sentsu holding Kubikiri Houcho was a clone of Zabuza. The real one spoke this time, "I took my chance will you were distracted with my blocking your last attack to create a **Mizu Bunshin** behind you. You lose."

Sentsu began to chuckle once more, "You weren't the only one to use that last attack as a distraction, Zabuza." With that, Sentsu leaned back, impaling himself on the blade, only to burst into a puddle of water. Suddenly a small ball of lightning came streaking out of a nearby tree and destroyed the Zabuza clone. Leaping down, the real Sentsu revealed himself, "With the flash and large chakra of that attack, it really was easy to slip a **Kawarimi** past you. And no one noticed the **Mizu Bunshin** I made right after my **Rai** **Bunshin**. Did you really think I could be Goriki-sensei's student for half a year and not learn any Suiton techniques?"

Zabuza snarled, before running through a small set of handsigns, "**Ninpo: Chikasui Hojuu no Jutsu**!" He struck the ground with his hands, and the water from the nearby pond began to drain away. He looked at the shocked look on Sentsu's face and laughed, "I know you have to be naturally a Lightning-natured person, so I doubt your Water affinity is strong enough to pull water so you won't have access to any of those Suiton you may have learned."

Sentsu took a second longer before breaking into an even larger laughing fit than Zabuza. Suddenly he sobered, and, in one graceful motion, returned his sword handle to its place with his right hand, while drawing another item from its holster on his left side. He raised the thin stick in front of his face, as if giving some strange form of salute, before speaking, "You have no idea what I am capable of." Then he launched into another set of hand seals, the new tool twirling between his fingers much as the sword handle had before it; however, instead of finishing on Usagi–the most common activation seal of Raiton jutsu–he held his hands in Tori–the sign of Suiton–the small shaft pointed straight up, "**Suiton: Suiryuudan**!" With the first word, water spouted from the end of the shaft, with the second, the stream of liquid coiled itself into a Water Dragon and lunged for Zabuza.

Zabuza lunged to the side, avoiding the powerful attack, and managed to disrupt the Dragon with a strike from his sword. Even more enraged and shocked than before, Zabuza flew into more hand signs, water from the last attack and seeping up from the ground leapt up at the sound of his voice, "**Suiton: Daibakufu**!" The horizontal vortex of watery destruction raced toward Sentsu.

He waved his wand with a cry of "_Protego_!" and the air in front of him shimmered. When the rushing torrent reached this shimmer, it stopped as it had struck a wall. While all the onlookers gaped with awe, Sentsu suddenly stiffened. His grip on the wand tightened and he seemed to be focusing far more concentration on the shield than he had a moment before. However, even as he strained, realization seemed to flicker across his face; so as the wall seemed to waver and buckle, Sentsu spun the wand back into its holster at his side. With the removal of its sustaining power, the shield finally shattered. The water rushed forward once more and struck Sentsu, who, even sticking to the ground with Chakra, could only stay in place for a few seconds under that tremendous pressure. When his support finally gave, the wave carried Sentsu with it until he was smashed against the very tree that he had earlier been hiding in. As the spray from the technique cleared, Zabuza began to rush forward only to be stopped by Sentsu's voice, "Wait. I know when I have met my match. I concede."

* * *

After that test, the others welcomed Sentsu officially into the Swordsmen. Kisame still seemed standoffish. But considering his attitude towards the others, perhaps that was just his way of dealing with all of them. Zabuza also was rather difficult at first, but Sentsu found a way to deal with that. One day, after a particularly nasty exchange, Sentsu told stormed off, telling Zabuza to meet him privately later. When Zabuza arrived, expecting some sort of trap of challenge of a duel to the death, he was surprised to find himself led up to what appeared to be a small office in Sentsu's home. On the desk were a few letters and scrolls, and Sentsu reached for one of the sealed scrolls, "I've put this off long enough. Here read this," without another word, he handed the letter to Zabuza. Turning it over, Zabuza saw Goriki's seal, he looked up at Sentsu, ready to question him on the letter, but the look on Sentsu's face stilled him. So he opened the letter and began to read. He was shocked at what his old friend and unofficial mentor was telling him. He looked at Sentsu once more, who now seemed to be looking on expectantly. Zabuza finally spoke, "So you know then," it was a statement more than a question.

Sentsu nodded, "Yeah. And don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. I understand your reasoning and agree with Goriki-sensei about not ruining your reputation with releasing this. Besides, you've certainly earned enough respect even with this."

With that conversation a new friendship was born, though others would be hard pressed to guess that, as the spars between them had grown even more intense, beginning to resemble their first battle. Zabuza had also help Sentsu seek out Rujura, his sensei's daughter. She was happy for the news from her father, and shared some surprising news of her own. The first bit was that she had been married in the time since her father had left, and was expecting a child. The second was what shocked Sentsu; she possessed the Hyouton bloodline, inherited from her father, a power that Goriki had never mentioned to Sentsu. Suddenly though, the understanding he had shown in helping Sentsu push his bloodline to new levels; even with the difference in nature, bloodlines did operate slightly differently from other Chakra based powers.

* * *

The heavy mist settled over the training field. The others had already left and only Sentsu and Zabuza remained. Then something happened; the mist darkened considerably. Suddenly there was a flash of light from within the now darkened mist, followed by a rumble. This was quickly followed by a yell, the voice strangled with a mixture of annoyance, confusion, respect, and the slightest hint of fear, "What did you do to my technique? I've got no control over this anymore."

"Do you like it? I call it **Ninpo: Houi Raiu** and I have taken over your **Kirigakure** to form it. This is no simple mist anymore; we are inside a thundercloud. Don't worry though, with your swords power, and the fact that I've toned down the power of this considerably from what it is truly capable, you shouldn't be hurt too badly."

Sentsu broke out into his chuckling again, and to Zabuza's consternation, he was unable to pinpoint Sentsu's location by sound, to think, his own techniques being used against him. "Damn you Uzumaki, drop this now." The cloud thinned out and vanished, revealed the still chuckling Sentsu.

* * *

Roughly fifteen years after joining the forces of Kirigakure, Sentsu was sitting in on a meeting that, by law, should not be happening. By all appearances it should have been completely legal–the Swordsmen were meeting in the wake of their leader going rogue–but the tilt of their debate was the problem.

Zabuza rose to his feet, smashing his fist down on the table, "Kisame my have been an absolute monster, but at least he has done something about all this. It's time the rest of us did something. Who's with me?"

A flash of light from Sentsu grabbed all of their attention, "I for wont stand for this."

"Don't play that holier that thou crap, Uzumaki. You weren't born in this village, and you certainly had no qualms about betraying your Kage before."

Sentsu nodded his head in accent to Zabuza's point, before countering, "You seem to misunderstand my objection. Kisame has done nothing but make the situation worse. All he has accomplished his raising the bounty on his head while making things worse here. The last daimyo was at least ambivalent; our new one has made very clear in the past that he completely supports the Bloodline purge. With his support, things will only escalate, and this war is already ripping Kiri to shreds. Even if one of were able to take over the position of Mizukage, the confusion during the change of power would only allow things to fall further. I say we sit back and plan. Rushing in now when everything is unsettled, and with no plan to boot, is only asking for trouble. No, we should sit back and plan, and then strike at the… opportune moment."

Sentsu stared at the other Swordsmen. The lower members slowly nodded their assent, understanding the wisdom in Sentsu words. Finally, only Zabuza, their newest leader, had not agreed. He stared back at Sentsu, unflinching, "I don't like it, but I'll go along with it… for now."

* * *

A few weeks later, at what, anywhere else in the Hidden Countries would be late spring, Sentsu was reporting to the Mizukage, having recently returned early from a mission, when a great commotion was heard from the walls. Being a slightly clearer day than was normal for the village, the walls were slightly more than half visible from the centrally located tower. However, the sudden appearance of a white spire forcing itself through the walls was all that they two needed to determine what was going on. The Mizukage looked on, surprised, "The Kaguya have gotten bolder. They usually come at night, and in smaller numbers. I wonder what has changed."

Sentsu was suddenly on alert. He scanned around the village, until he noticed a small commotion far deeper into the village than the huge Kaguya assault. He cursed. This caught the Mizukage's attention, so Sentsu began to explain, "It would seem someone has begun to resent your rule, and struck a deal with the Kaguya. This attack is unlike them; they have come in what is most like full force, and are pushing forward, whereas before their small raids would be only probe are defenses, and pick off any who tried to follow them. If they keep driving forward, losses for them will be inevitable, and that would only spur the ninja forward. They would chase after them in far greater numbers. This attack may mark the end of the Kaguya clan."

The Mizukage took this in, but looked askance at Sentsu, "That can't be the only reason you think that they have allied with a disgruntled ninja."

Sentsu shook his head, and continued, "No, it's not. I also observed a small commotion deep in the village, too deep to be a Kaguya, and the thrust of the attack was along a road that leads straight to this tower. Plus, they have gotten closer, I can almost make them out now." Sentsu fell silent moment, concentrating, "It's…" he trailed off, cursing once again. He backed away from the window, moving protectively in front of the Mizukage, while bringing Ikazuchi Kiba out from its resting spot on his belt.

Soon after, the window was shattered and a body came crashing through. Landing on his feet, Zabuza drew Kubikiri Houcho, and seemed shocked to find Sentsu waiting for him, sword crackling at the ready. "Uzumaki, I wasn't expecting to find you here."

Sentsu shrugged, "I finished early, and was merely reporting Mizukage-sama when the fracas started. Tell me Zabuza, why know? What do you have to gain?"

Zabuza just stared for a moment, as if considering what to say. Finally he broke out in a snarl, "I was impatient. I thought I could pull this off. And maybe if I was the one to kill the Mizukage, I could take the position for my self."

The Mizukage looked on, seemingly unperturbed by the threat on his life, "What of the others of your Order Zabuza? Are they complicit in this, or do you come here as a single man?"

"The cowards were offered a chance, by they would not stand with me. I spared their lives do to the oaths of our Order."

"So you would honor that oath, but would disregard your oath to me?"

"The Swordsmen have kept their oaths to me. You on the other hand, stand back and through your decisions, you betray the oath you swore when you took office–the oath to put the good of the ninja of your village above your own interests. Uzum–no, Sentsu, join with me. You know that the Mizukage is in the wrong. If you side against me I will overcome you, but I will still honor my oath to you. If you do not use lethal force, I will refrain as well."

"I am truly sorry, Zabuza, but I cannot allow this to continue. Even if I will almost assuredly lose, I must fight you."

"And he will not be alone, I will not stand back and be idly protected, I will fight you myself. Stand down Zabuza, you cannot beat us both." Zabuza stared at the Mizukage for a moment, before he turned and fled back out the window. With the threat gone, the Mizukage turned to Sentsu, "Round up the other Swordsmen, I wish to speak to them."

Sentsu nodded, and leapt from the destroyed window. Several minutes later, he returned alone. Bowing deeply, he addressed the Mizukage, "I am sorry, Mizukage-sama. It seems that when they awoke, the others fled from the village. All of their home's show signs of a stuggle, followed by a quick escape. As far as I can tell, they left while we were distracted confronting Zabuza."

The Mizukage nodded solemnly, before removing his hat, "this is most troubling… six of the Nananin have deserted us in the last month. Only you remain loyal," here the Mizukage looked sharply at Sentsu, causing his breath to catch in his throat for a split second, "or do you? I sensed some small deceit in you words against Zabuza earlier, as well as seeing his confusion at those times. And just now, you reacted far more strongly to that look than an guiltless man would. You have my permission to speak freely: Tell me what your feelings are."

With that command, Sentsu bowed his head for a moment, and when he met the gaze of the Mizukage again, there was a great deal of rebellion in his eyes. It only intensified when he spoke, "Zabuza was right. You have broken your oath to the people. Your complacence in the Bloodline war was wearing down the ninja forces. When the new daimyo came to power, actively supporting the purge, your complacence only made matters worse. I have made no move, and protected you now, not out of loyalty or belief that you are right, but because your death now would only cause more strife. Frankly, Yagura-_sama_," the honorific dripped with sarcasm, "you disgust me." Sentsu had said his piece, and settled stonily into silence, his posture rigid, ready to defend himself at the slightest provocation.

"I had figured that might be the case." Yagura's eyes hardened, "Leave. The Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shuu is hereby disbanded; all of members not present are banished, and will be branded crimnal and bounties posted on their head in accordance with their threa level. You, Uzumaki Sentsu, are hereby exiled: your status as a Kiri-nin is revoked, but you shall not be branded a criminal. You will be allowed two visits to Mizu no Kuni a year, the total time spent in the country per year not totaling more than one month. Leave my sight, take your belongs and be gone. So I decree, and so shall it be."

Sentsu was stunned; he had gotten of far more lightly than the law dictated he should. Bowing one last time, he leapt off for a final time from the office of the Mizukage. After collecting his belongings and sealing them in a scroll, he rushed off, leaving the city along a path he was sure at least another Swordsman had used, as they had discussed escape paths from the village before. He would head to Umi no Kuni–indeed to that same in within its borders that had been the sight of major turning points in his life before. Once there, he would make sure his belongings were in order, and then contact Edward, he deserved at least some advance warning of the looming visit.

A week later, now back on the mainland, and enjoying the first signs of summer, Sentsu found himself in the inn, mentally composing the letter he would send to Edward when suddenly a note appeared on the charmed amulet that would allow him to reach the Magical World, and the note wasn't written by Edward or his wife.

* * *

Chigiri no Sato – The Village of the Bloody Mist


End file.
